Ticketmaster customers may have noticed a significant change when purchasing tickets recently. The website now states that displayed prices include fees, which previously were only visible at checkout.
This change was prompted by a new Federal Trade Commission rule requiring companies to provide upfront pricing for services such as vacation rentals, hotels, and event tickets. The regulations went into effect on Monday.
Ticketmaster announced that, in addition to the face value of tickets, service charges and facility fees are now included in the upfront costs. However, delivery fees and taxes are still excluded from this pricing.
Resale tickets will also be subject to upfront pricing, but these often sell for amounts higher than the face value.
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"The upfront price includes all required fees in addition to the face value. These fees help cover the behind-the-scenes costs of putting on live events and keeping the ticketing process secure and smooth," Ticketmaster said.
Some ticketing agencies had already begun implementing upfront pricing before the FTC's new rule came into effect. The rule aims to eliminate "junk fees," the additional costs often added at checkout. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that the new rule will save consumers up to 53 million hours per year, reducing the time spent searching for the total price of tickets and lodging.
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The regulation states that these businesses must disclose the upfront cost of most mandatory fees. Taxes, shipping charges, and charges for optional goods and services are not required to be shown upfront.
